Connecticut western news., 1887-11-16
A PROMPT SOLUTION.
BY EMMA A. OFFER.

AAcA0 Woi0 SooP anu PAhS, ouo nSeoAeS and letter-paper, and back combs and paper collars, and suspsndsrs, in glass cases in the front, and crockery and calico, and tinware and overhauls, and cowhide boots, disposed on the shelves and butter and dried beef, and buck wheat and kerosene, and molasses and codfish, in friendly confusion in the rear. Its motly variety was, indeed, neces- sity. Lamphier's was the one store of | Unionville.
 If Lamphier's was the typical country store, Lottie Lamphier was not the typl- cal country storekeeper's daughter So John Stockham, Mir. Lamphier's clerk from the next town, had thought, when he first saw her tripping into the store one morning, after spool of thread and e pound of coffee-she was her fathers housekeeper.
 She had seemed to John, in her crisp, pink calico, and her natty straw hat, the most jauntily-stylish girl he had ever seen, as we'll as the prettiest. That was four months ago. Lottie came down to the store frequently. Of course it was a necessity that she should j; something was always needed at the house. Certainly John was far too mod est to dream that his presence could have tho remotest influence on her com ings and goings. -. . But he had not neglected his oppor- tunities. He had talked to her as he tied up her sugar or rolled up her lining cambric and smiled at her from over the kerosene can and the molasses bar rel, and Lottie had not been prudishly backward in responding. The first snow found them very good friends in- deed.
 The one blot on this extremely pleas ant companionship was MT. Lamphier. Whether MT. Lamphier was guilty of the notion that his clerk, vas an unde- sirable party, and therefore dangerous companion for his daughter; or, whothor be Was possessed of an ignoble fear of the loss of a good housekeeper; or whether he had merely developed a streak of the unreason and contrariness | not entirely unknown to elderly gentle men who are undergoing their first touches of rheumatism, and feeling the need of an older pair of glasses-what Mir. Lamphier's motive was was doubt full But he was plainly opposed to John Stockham's growing admiration for his pretty daughter.
 The scene which took place one snowy December morning had come to be common one.
 Lottie came down to the store at a quarter to nine. It was earlier than she generally came, and tho fact ac- counted for the blackness of MT. Lam- phier's frown.
 Her new brown dress was extraordi- narily stylish and becoming, and John
 stockham fairly blushed with delighted
 admiration at the sight of her.
 Lottie had nothing to get but poun q
 of rice, and it was impossible to be very
 long about getting that. But Lottie
 was young person of ways and means.
 'Good-morning, MT. stockham," she
 called out, cheerfully.
 John was replenishing the fire at tht
 back Of the store.
 tGood-morning, Miss Lamphier," h'
 rejoined, with subdued enthusiasm.
 MT. Lamphier's sharp eyes were upor
 him, and he did not venture to join her.
 ''What are these, pal" cried Lottie
 immediately. "Do come and show m, . how they work, Mr. stockham." They were patent mouse-traps. I
 was i@prebable that Lottie was ignoran
 of their function, or that John Stock ham believed that she was; but he go himself to the front of the store witt
 alacrity.
 "Its lovely weather, MT. Stockham, :, Lott'e observed, forgetting the mouse 2 trap. Elegant"
 :. 'Ts it2" said John, not brilliantly, bu devotsdly, looking his admiration c . Lottie's bright eyes and red cheeks. n s'Oh, yes; the snow's foot deep, an' had to wade; but like it." n ''Do you like walking alone-by you, ,s self7" John ventured. .- "Oh, well suppose it would b
 pleasanter with somebody along," Lot
 tie responded, with her eyes on row ( > stove-polish boxes.
 > q should say so, decidedly" sai 'e John, growing bolder. d "Stockham" MT. Lamphier called 1T snappishly, ''please attend to custom ,, ers."
 al The "customers'' consisted of old Bill le Murdock, who came in regularly to s y over the stove, but never bought an. a thing; but John went back obediently. s, There was period of silence, an fe then 9 chatter from the front. d, ooh, goodness!" cried Lottie, in tor ID of horror. tTve knocked down 8 bC W of curtain fixtures. Mercy! do help II Id to pick them up!"
 lg John rushed to her side. He did n Sc know whether she had knocked the P of purposely, though he hoped she hat st Lottie knew; but she looked quite il li- nocently regretful.
 us Thsy erepsd about together for Il